Boston Post cane to be presented in Lyndeborough at Town Meeting

LYNDEBOROUGH – The Lyndeborough Board of Selectmen will present the town’s Boston Post Cane to oldest resident Lucy Schmidt at the beginning of Town Meeting on Saturday, March 15.

Schmidt, 93, has been a resident of the town since 1938.

The original cane is presented during the ceremony and the recipient holds a replica during his or her tenure as oldest citizen.

The cane is an advertising ploy devised in 1909 by Edwin Grozier, then editor of the former Boston Post. Many of the area towns received a cane to be presented to the town’s oldest citizen. Grozier meant the “oldest male registered voter,” but that was often ignored, and in the 1930s, women were officially acknowledged.

The cane is made of African ebony with a 14-karat gold top. They were made by J.F. Fradley & Co., of New York City.

Lyndeborough’s first recipient was Daniel Whittemore, 90, of North Lyndeborough. He died in 1910.

– JESSIE SALISBURY

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